


Farewells

by Tanuki_Senpai_Sama_Sensei



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Angst, Bittersweet Ending, Character Death, F/M, Guardian Marinette Dupain-Cheng, Heavy Angst, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Marinette lives for a really long time, Married Adrien Agreste/Marinette Dupain-Cheng, Post-Canon, guardians live long lives
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-15
Updated: 2019-11-15
Packaged: 2021-01-31 09:11:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 966
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21443767
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tanuki_Senpai_Sama_Sensei/pseuds/Tanuki_Senpai_Sama_Sensei
Summary: The first time it had been heart-wrenching.The second time was not as bad.The third time happened not long after,but the fourth time was the worst.Finally, she was going home.
Relationships: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug
Comments: 3
Kudos: 121





	Farewells

The first time it had been heart-wrenching.

Church bell’s sounded distantly, but maybe that’s because she couldn’t hear anything clearly.

She shed tears, hugging her children tightly. They were weeping with her. The immobile body of her husband was in front of them. He looked calm. He was still as handsome as the first day she’d met him, when he gave her that umbrella under the rain. Golden locks and wrinkled pale skin still in an eternal slumber.

She burned the memory into her brain. She’d always remember him. She gave him a piece of her heart and he’d taken it with him to the other side. The thought was reassuring, comforting even. He wouldn’t be alone at least. She’d always be with him. And she knew he’d always be with her too.

She pulled her children closer.

She had known beforehand so she had been prepared. It didn’t mean her heart was torn apart just the same.

They’d get through this though. Her family was strong.

They’d always be together.

As she looked at the ring that night -his ring- and talked quietly with a black cat kwami all night long, she knew she was ready to let him go.

* * *

The second time was not as bad.

She scattered the ashes of her daughter Emma to the wind, her family crying behind her. They were at the same place where they’d spread _his_ ashes too, so many years ago now.

As she looked behind her and clutched the urn steadily to her chest, her eyes lingered. Time passed so quickly. Her family had grown bigger and bigger. Her grandchildren and great-grandchildren were present.

Sometimes the flow of time escaped her grasp now. They all shared blood, but the strain was growing. She knew it’d end soon.

She knew she’d have to disappear eventually.

Approaching Louis and Hugo, her sons, she felt herself smile.

Just for a little longer, she decided.

And as she kissed Hugo’s temple, his eyes looking at her without recognizing her, but smiling at her nonetheless, she decided.

Just for a little while.

* * *

The third time happened not long after, but her eyes didn’t drop tears.

This time she spread Hugo’s, and as the wind carried him away gently she felt herself long.

She didn’t spend too much time on the site that time. She had to keep Louis company after all.

He only had her now.

They only had each other.

* * *

The fourth time was the worst.

She collapsed when she saw him drift away. Tears falling uncontrollably as she wailed.

She cursed her fate. She cursed the wind. The breeze. She cursed everything she could think of until her throat was raw and her lungs burned for air.

Everything was gone now.

Everyone had left her behind.

Her son had crossed the bridge without her. Her baby. The youngest. All alone without his mother.

What was he going to do? She needed to take care of him. He needed her mama.

No.

That wasn’t true.

It wasn’t him who needed her. It was her.

She needed her little boy back. She wanted her kitten in her arms again.

Please, please, please, please bring her baby back to her.

She didn’t want to be alone.

But as she calmed down, comforted by the gentle words of her family as they surrounded her, she knew.

This had been her decision. Her destiny since the beginning.

And she shouldn’t worry. He’d be alright without her. He wouldn’t be alone. Not now or ever.

For he now was waiting for her. Waiting for her mama to join him. Waiting with Hugo and Emma, his siblings.

Waiting with _him_. For all of eternity.

Until her moment came.

She smiled.

She was patient. She could wait.

They’ll be together as family once again.

* * *

She had used the fox miraculous almost constantly. She had been doing so for a long time.

Ever since her daughter’s funeral.

No human aged so little, after all.

She changed her identity.

She started a new life.

She found happiness once again.

Inner peace.

She opened an orphanage, the daily laughter making her reminiscence and smile.

She trained a new generation of wielders. Their struggles and battles making her reminiscence and accept.

Accept that time always continues forward.

Accept that it was ok to continue like time itself. Ahead without stop.

Accept that happiness could be reached once again.

Accept their departures.

She still visited the site.

Now it was always filled with liveliness.

New life had grown there. From flowers to trees.

A tradition had emerged over the years too, and now several families crowed the space as they celebrated, with tears and drinks and food, but also smiles.

They were her family, but they didn’t know that.

But that was ok.

_He_ would have loved this.

They all would have loved this.

She walked slowly towards the big fig tree in the center and lay in its shadow, between the roots.

She closed her eyes. The walk had tired her. She wasn’t used to this. It had been too long since she hadn’t worn any miraculous.

Soon she noticed.

Finally, it was time.

Why did humans describe it as something fearsome? Something to loathe and reject?

As the end neared, she only felt relief and peace. A gentle smile wrinkling her face.

And as the breeze dance among the fig leaves and played with the grass, it approached her.

It carried her in a warm embrace, not that unlike the one a mother shares with her child. Gently and lovingly. Carrying her home.

She was going home.

She was going to them.

She was going to _him_.

Together. For eternity.

Her last breath followed.

A woman lay under the fig tree. Beneath the sun.

Happy.

Complete.

With him, at last.


End file.
